Wole Soyinka and Henry Louis Gates, Jr in Conversation || Loyola Marymount University, March 2022

This event took place Friday, March 4, 2022
Featuring Nobel Laureate, writer, activist, and former President's Marymount Professor in Residence, Wole Soyinka in conversation with Emmy-Award winning filmmaker, literary scholar, journalist, cultural critic, and institution builder, Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Organized by:
Marymount Institute for Faith, Culture, and the Arts and TSEHAI Publishers
Produced by:
John Flaherty and Theresia de Vroom
Moderated by:
Julia Lee and Theresia de Vroom
Sponsored by:
LMU Academic Affairs; Academy of Catholic Thought and Imagination; Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts; Campus Ministry; College of Communication and Fine Arts; Dept. of African American Studies; Dept. of Theological Studies; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Mission and Ministry; Office of the Provost; Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary; Student Affairs; The Creative Writing Committee
Media Spronsor:
KPFK.
About the Marymount Institute for Faith, Culture, and the Arts
The Marymount Institute for Faith, Culture, and the Arts preserves the transformative educational tradition of the RSHM and promotes dialogue between faith and culture as expressed in the fine, performing, literary, and communication arts
About Loyola Marymount University
LMU is a private Catholic university with 6,000 undergraduates, 2,200 graduate students and 1,100 law students from diverse backgrounds and many perspectives. Our seven colleges and schools boast best-in-the-nation programs in film and television, business, education and more. Our stunning campus in West Los Angeles is a sun-soaked oasis overlooking the Pacific coast and a model of sustainability. We're rooted in the heart of Los Angeles, a global capital for arts and entertainment, innovation and technology, business and entrepreneurship. Our mission is grounded in a centuries-old Jesuit educational tradition that produces extraordinary men and women dedicated to service and social justice. We're proud of more than 85,000 LMU alumni whose professional achievements are matched by a deep commitment to improving the lives of others.

[@silverrainrunningcloud]

I met Wole Soyinka at UMASS/Amherst in 1995 He was magnificent His list of African authors was so foreign to Americans that we became inspired to read and teach more African history and litersture. His book, The Road, was gifted to me by a Professor at a Post-Colonial Conference at Dartmouth in 1991 or 2 so when he came to Massachusettes it was very exciting! What an honor for you all.

[@emekachikawelu5663]

Whenever I hear him speak poetically or read his poems, I always learn something new. Professor Soyinka you are the best !

[@Specialeena]

This is such an inspiring conversation! Watching these two legends, and knowing that one mentored the other, emphasizes just how important our circles are in supporting us as we become our full and true selves!

[@abdulaiibrahim3751]

If not the greatest Nigerian, one of them.

[@jayattipoe6597]

A month in and not a comment yet! This is startling. Such fine story tellers and I'm the first here? Hurrah Hurrah! I love proff. Gates and Proff Soyinka both for enriching my life with their great contributions to history and culture and to literature above all. Many thanks. .

[@adeseghaolusegun3513]

You're a world class professor for a reason don't mind what ibo people say dem no get head

[@olijadu]

And I'm 2nd. My Uncle, Woke Soyinka

[@margiehaynes3006]

❤️🙂🎶

[@adewalemaja-pearce8709]

Wole Soyinka called the would-be cleaner of his Cambridge room a 'racist cow' yet he didn't know her even as she was only trying to do her job. Meanwhile, the enlightened panelists, none of whom I presume have ever had to clean rooms in order to survive, saw fit to laugh.

[@MMUnubi]

...the laughter was not in acceptance of Wole's outburst, instead the events that led to that tipping point and how he chose to let off the emotions that had accumulated from his suppressing his impulse to rebel against many things British including "Churchill's bust". Go few minutes back before that point in the interview to get the context.

[@sheriff58]

Him hurling the epithet "racist cow" at that cleaner could be said to be presumptuous. Notwithstanding, the negrophobic atmosphere in a typical 1970s Caucasian society might have stimulated that presumptuousness. On this basis, Soyinka's outburst could somewhat be excusable.

[@LeahTVdotcom]

You guys can speak some beautiful fucking English ❤. 🇺🇸🌍✍🏾🔥🎥. 🤣. Leah Tunkara